I treat only malaria, typhoid – Fake doctor

 

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old man, Adeyemi Akintolure, for parading himself as a medical practitioner without a licence.

Akintolure, who also allegedly defrauded one Joy Umosekhaimhe of N500,000, was said to be in possession of a forged identity card of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Ngozi Braide, said the suspect was arrested by the Area H Command Headquarters, Ogudu, following a petition by Umosekhaimhe.

She said upon his arrest, the suspect presented a certificate of annual practicing licence purportedly issued to him by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

Braide said, “Upon interrogation, Akintolure identified himself as a doctor at LUTH and tendered his LUTH identity card with no 13541. He claimed to be a surgeon and gynaecologist at LUTH.

“A letter was written to the hospital to authenticate his claims and LUTH replied that he was not an employee. The suspect subsequently confessed that he was not a doctor but had been practising for four years, using his vehicle as a mobile clinic.

“Drugs, injections, syringes, stethoscope, a blood pressure monitor and a lab coat were recovered from his home when it was searched.”

Akintolure, in his defence, said he took to medical practice because he needed money to fend for his family.

He claimed to have only treated malaria and typhoid and had charged N4,000 for his services. He also denied defrauding Umosekhaimhe of N500,000.

Akintolure said, “I borrowed only N260,000 from Umosekhaimhe, not N500,000. The money was used to care for my brother, who is suffering from a kidney disease. I am actually a graduate; I studied Marketing on a part time basis at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and graduated in 1997.

“I got my medical experience at a hospital in Akure, where I was employed as the personal assistant to a doctor but also worked as an auxiliary nurse. I know I’m not meant to be practising medicine but I have never killed anyone before. I only took to medicine because of unemployment.

“I also don’t treat pregnant women. I just treat typhoid and malaria at the cost of N4,000. Sometimes I administer injections.

“The vehicle I use as my mobile clinic belongs to my wife but she has no idea that I was a fake doctor.” The police said the suspect would soon be charged to court.